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SEIA is the solar energy industry’s go-to source for the latest coverage on solar power, including U.S. and international policy, research and polls, business and financing trends, and more. Our staff strives to support the media covering solar energy issues and guide our members on effective media outreach with clear statements, background materials, news and multimedia resources.

SEIA is committed to informing policymakers, the media, and the American public about the benefits of solar energy for today’s communities, our economy, and our country.

Energy independence by 2020? The idea has been touted on the U.S. presidential campaign trail, but global home furnishings retailer Ikea is announcing plans Tuesday to achieve that goal with solar and wind power.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- In one 50-minute period last month, the Intro to Engineering students at Chatfield High School in Jefferson County, Colorado, charted the strength of solar panels at their desks, then climbed through a trap door to examine the 100-kilowatt solar array on their school's flat roof.

After a first debate that mentioned infamous solar manufacturer Solyndra but offered little substantive energy policy discussion, President Barack Obama and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney made energy issues a central topic during their second debate on Tuesday night. Solar energy garnered several specific call-outs from both candidates.

The FedEx Express arm of FedEx Corp. today broke ground on its largest solar panel project to date, which will be mounted on the rooftops of its three distribution facilities at Newark Liberty International Airport.

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A team led by the Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association (COSEIA) has launched the Solar Friendly Communities initiative, which is designed to help streamline permitting for solar energy installations.

On Tuesday San Diego-based Borrego Solar Systems announced the completion of a 3.4 megawatt solar plant at Edwards Air Force base, which is located near Lancaster, California. The photovoltaic system consists of three single-axis tracking units mounted to the ground.

GE Energy Financial Services, part of General Electric (GE.N), said on Wednesday it bought a stake in a large U.S. solar power project for $100 million, bringing its investments in the sector to $1.4 billion in the last year.

Hundreds of start-ups are presenting advanced energy technologies at a Department of Energy conference this week. Their early-stage efforts are funded by a government grant program, called ARPA-e, but what happens next is a difficult question.

As governments around the world tinker over how best to support solar energy, a number of large corporations have thrown their weight behind the renewable resource. These moves could potentially shift the momentum driving the solar industry away from the public sector and onto private enterprise.